An abandoned chapel in the city
Old St Mary’s Churchyard
The spring sun shone and there were no urgent demands at work. So I took an afternoon off and had an aimless wander around Bath with our dog, Gem, as my companion.
I have lived in or near Bath for over 30 years. I know most of the backstreets, the shortcuts and the hidden gems. I’d stumbled upon this abandoned mortuary chapel1 a few years ago and had taken a tentative walk around. However, there was a makeshift camp amongst the graves and I didn’t want to disturb the residents.
This time, as I walked past the gap in the wall, I turned in hoping that I would be alone.
The chapel and graveyard are tucked into a residential area and only a few hundred metres from the city centre. It’s on Bathwick Street - a busy road which takes you out of the city.
Yet the majority of the queuing traffic don’t know it’s there. It is well camouflaged by trees.
Trees which are gradually shoving aside the gravestones.
Two “beloved” Willcoxes, buried in 1865 and 1866, have provided roots for another.
Some graves are crumbling and been randomly rebuilt with piles of stone.
There is evidence of care. Paths have been cleared and signs added to indicate the more notable burials.
The chapel is succumbing to nature.
Slowly being returned to earth.
As we all will one day.
A short history
Extract from the Friends of St Mary’s Churchyard website:
Opened in 1808, St Mary's Churchyard was closed to burials by the 1860s. Gradually falling into disrepair, it was padlocked and denied to public access by 1980.
In 2000, a local historical society, recognising the churchyard's significance as the burial place for many of Bath's celebrated figures, petitioned the council to reopen it.
Spearheaded by Alastair Cowan and Alan Bell, the "Friends Group" was founded in 2003 to work in partnership with the council towards the goal of conserving and eventually reopening the churchyard.
Assisted by a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund, memorials were repaired and a cemetery trail, with 21 graves marked of particular interest, was created. The churchyard was reopened 23, September 2006.
mortuary-chapel.
1. Chapel, free-standing or attached to a church, under which is a sepulchre or tomb, often built and used for interment by one family.
2. Chapel in a cemetery, or attached to a building (e.g. a hospital), where coffined bodies briefly lie before disposal.
From Encyclopaedia.com
A lovely piece Andrew and it called to mind, 'The Hardy Tree' in St. Pancras Old Church cemetery. You probably know of its creation by Thomas Hardy when a young architect after he was tasked to move gravestones to make way for the railway. He couldn't bear to scrap them so 'planted' them around a tree that has now grown to embrace them.
"slowly being returned to the earth, as we all will one day" ... poignant, beautiful crafted words. Fascinating post, Andrew. Well worth bunking off for!